Ceci est une version HTML d'une pièce jointe de la demande d'accès à l'information 'Ethics guide for staff'.

 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR HOME AFFAIRS 
DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR JUSTICE 
 
  Shared Resource Directorate 
Unit 02 : Human resources  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CODE ON PROFESSIONAL ETHICS 
IN DG HOME AFFAIRS and DG JUSTICE1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Responsible desk officer: Johan Dumas   95757 
Updated November 2010 
 
                                                 
1 Based on the Code on Professional Ethics of DG TRADE and adapted from the July 2009 edition of the 
DG JLS Code on Professional Ethics 
 
Commission européenne, B-1049 Bruxelles / Europese Commissie, B-1049 Brussel - Belgium. Telephone: (32-2) 299 11 11. 
Office: LX46 4/179. Telephone: direct line (32-2) 2951250. Fax: (32-2) 2967626. 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................... 2 
FOREWORD.......................................................................................................................... 3 
1. 
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 4 
2. 
GENERAL OBLIGATIONS............................................................................................... 6 
3. 
CONFLICT OF INTEREST ............................................................................................... 8 
4. 
SPECIFIC GUIDANCE CONCERNING MISSIONS .......................................................... 14 
5. 
EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES AND REMUNERATIONS.......................................................... 15 
6. 
FORMER OFFICIALS AND OFFICIALS ON LEAVE FOR PERSONAL GROUNDS 
(CCP) .......................................................................................................................... 16 

7. 
PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE, EXPRESSIONS OF VIEWS OUTSIDE THE 
COMMISSION AND CONTACTS WITH THIRD PARTIES............................................... 20 

8. 
REPORTING IMPROPRIETIES AND DEALING WITH ALLEGATIONS OF 
WRONGDOING .......................................................................................................... 22 

9. 
PREVENTION OF SEXUAL AND MORAL HARASSMENT .............................................. 23 
10.  ANNEXES.................................................................................................................... 24 
2
 

FOREWORD 
During your career in the Commission as an official, temporary agent, contract agent or 
seconded national expert (SNE), you may face ethical issues and need to consult the 
appropriate legislation or practice in the field in question. This Code on Professional 
Ethics will help staff of DG Home Affairs and DG Justice in this area. It complements the 
information made available by the Code of Good Administrative Behaviour of DG HR2
DG Home Affairs and DG Justice policies are at the heart of the Commission's priorities 
work programme and tackle many sensitive issues such as immigration, asylum, visa 
policy, fundamental rights, drugs, justice, terrorism and organised crime. 
It is one of the top priorities to ensure that all staff in DG Home Affairs and DG Justice 
meets the highest ethical standards in the performance of duties to safeguard our 
reputation and credibility vis-à-vis Member States, the legal communities, other 
stakeholders and the general public. 
To reflect the importance which the two DGs attach to ensuring that staff members 
uphold the highest standards of integrity and adhere to the ethical Code in a coherent 
and consistent manner, the function of an Ethics Correspondent has been created. 
The ethics rules are meant to protect not only the Commission's interests, but also its 
reputation. They also protect individual staff members and third parties from any 
malicious allegations or misrepresentations. The goal of the present Code is to set out 
and clarify the rules concerning ethics and integrity that derive form the Staff 
Regulations, the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European 
Communities, the Commission Decision C(2004)1597/10 of 28 April 2004, as well as in 
other relevant implementing provisions.  
The Code applies to all staff of DG Home Affairs and DG Justice (officials, contract and 
temporary agents, SNEs, trainees)3. The Ethics page on the local intranet (acts as an 
important supplement, as it contains the key articles of the staff regulations, guides and 
procedural guides, and constitutes a rich source of information and guidance. 
One should bear in mind, however, that neither the examples and recommendations, 
nor the rules that are in place, will necessarily always provide a solution for potentially 
delicate situations in which you may find yourself during your career in the Commission. 
Consult your hierarchy in case of doubt, inform your hierarchy about possible conflicts 
of interest, contacts with third parties, outside activities, etc. You should at all times 
behave with due caution and discernment, use your common sense and remember the 
principles that govern our professional activity: independence, loyalty, responsibility, 
circumspection4 and a spirit of service. 
                                                 
2 http://myintracomm.ec.europa.eu/hr_admin/en/code/Pages/conduct.aspx  
3 For staff not covered by the statute (e.g. external experts, staff of external contactors, SNEs and trainees), 
please refer to Annex V.  
4  Circumspection: stopping and reflecting on the possible consequences and implications of potential actions, 
showing a degree of moderation and conducting yourself at all times with a due sense of proportion and propriety. 
3
 

1.  INTRODUCTION 
The objective of the Code on Professional Ethics of DG Home Affairs and DG Justice is to 
create a local framework on professional ethics and integrity in the two DGs, taking into 
account the recommendations of the audit report of organisational ethics5 performed 
by the Internal Audit Unit.  
The goal of the present Code is to set out and clarify the rules concerning ethics and 
integrity that derive from the Staff Regulations, the Conditions of Employment of Other 
Servants of the European Communities, the Commission Decision C(2004)1597/10 of 28 
April 2004 on outside activities and the Community case-law6. This Code creates a local 
ethical framework and is largely based on the central Practical Guide on Ethics, which 
has been created for information purposes only and has no legal value. 
In addition to this Code, a series of Quick Guides on specific topics is developed as such, 
providing DG Home Affairs and DG Justice staff with practical information on rules of 
ethical conduct – in particular by tailoring such information to the DG's specific 
circumstances and day-to-day activities. 
To this end, the Code encloses some practical examples, based mostly on situations 
which occur in the daily life of DG Home Affairs and DG Justice. 
The final scope is to comply with all rules laid down in the central framework on 
professional ethics and integrity, as set out by VP Kallas in his Communication of 5 
March 20087. 
There are frequent references in the text to the concept of Appointing Authority (AIPN). 
The Commission delegates authority in personnel matters to the appropriate levels of 
senior and middle management. In general terms the situation is that for procedures 
concerning gifts, favours and payments, as well as external activities and publications 
and speeches on professional and EU matters, the AIPN powers are exercised by the 
Directorate General. For the other obligations addressed, these powers are exercised by 
DG HR. The specific arrangements concerning the delegation of the AIPN powers can be 
consulted on MyIntraComm8. 
It should be underlined that the Staff Regulations and other relevant texts relating to 
staff’s conduct often leave the AIPN a margin of discretion as regards their application 
and implementation. Finally, the  disciplinary system9 (administrative inquiries and 
disciplinary procedures) applies to any failure by a member or former member of staff 
                                                 
5 Final Audit Report on Organisational Ethics in DG JLS of 19 December 2008 reference JLS/01/2007/06 
6 It is recalled that national legislation is also applicable to staff members in case, for instance, of insider 
dealing which constitutes a criminal offence in most national laws. 
7 Communication from Vice-President Kallas to the Commission on enhancing the environment for 
professional ethics in the Commission (SEC(2008) 301 final of 5 March 2008). 
8 Relevant central information on http://myintracomm.ec.europa.eu/hr_admin/en/ethics/Pages/index.aspx  
9 See Article 86 of the Staff Regulations and Annex IX to the Staff regulations. 
4
 

to comply with their obligations (including offences under national criminal law) under 
the Staff Regulations, whether intentionally or through negligence. This can include 
conduct in private life. In this context, it is important to draw attention to the fact that 
DG Home Affairs and DG Justice staff can be held responsible in case of breach of the 
Staff Regulations and/or other relevant provisions, even if s/he has not benefited from 
this failure or the failure did not cause damage to the Commission10.  
As regards the latter, financial responsibility can also be claimed when the Commission 
has suffered damage as a result of the serious misconduct of an official in the course of, 
or in connection with, the performance of their duties11.  
It is the responsibility of the management of DG Home Affairs and DG Justice, at all 
levels, to behave beyond reproach and thus set a good example, to ensure proper 
guidance and supervision, and to refer cases to the AIPN and the Investigation and 
Disciplinary Office of the Commission (IDOC) where necessary. 
 
                                                 
10 See Joined Cases T-24/98 and T-241/99 E v Commission [2001] ECR II-681, paragraph 76 
11 See Article 22 of the Staff Regulations 
5
 

 
2.  GENERAL OBLIGATIONS 
The ethical obligations of DG Home Affairs and DG Justice staff are laid down in Articles 
11-22b of the Staff Regulations, which are equa
lly applicable to other agents of the 
Commission12 as well as seconded national experts (SNEs). In the case of a breach, 
members of staff are subject to disciplinary sanctions (Article 86 of the Staff 
Regulations). The internal control standards of the Commission also emphasise that all 
staff are expected to be aware of and share appropriate ethical and organisational 
values and to uphold these through their own behaviour and decision-making. 
The purpose of this Code is to assist in identifying and resolving ethical issues. To that 
end the following sections highlight and illustrate the ethical obligations that are 
particularly relevant to staff of DG Home Affairs and DG Justice. However, this Code 
cannot exonerate staff from a personal responsibility to familiarise themselves with all 
the rules, to exercise good judgement and to constantly question whether they are in 
compliance. 
The following "golden rules" of the Practical Guide on Ethics provide an excellent 
general guidance basis: 
•  Serve the public interest, by acting with integrity and being objective and 
impartial in your work 
•  Be loyal to the Commission 
•  Provide citizens and others with the quality service you would expect yourself 
•  Remember that you are the human face of the Commission and that others will 
judge the Commission on the basis of what they see and experience 
•  Carry out the tasks assigned to you with responsibility and to the best of your 
ability 
•  Treat your colleagues with respect 
•  Make sure your conduct is beyond reproach, by not knowingly being a party to 
an activity that could bring the Commission into disrepute or could cause your 
impartiality to be questioned 
                                                 
12 See Conditions of Employment of other Servants of the European Community, Articles 11, 54, 81, 124 for other 
agents of the Commission. Commission Decision C (2006) 2033 of 1/6/2006 laying down rules on the secondment 
of national experts to the Commission essentially provides the obligations as discussed in this Guide. For that 
reason, the following description mentions only the relevant articles of the Staff Regulations. 
 
Please refer also to the Annex V in this document, which addresses trainees, SNEs, external experts, and personnel 
of external service providers (contractors).  
 
6
 

•  Ensure that you are aware of the relevant legal obligations, rules and 
procedures 
•  If you are unsure whether something you do or are asked to do is ethical, 
consult the relevant information – including this guide – and if in doubt, ASK 
your superior or your local human resources unit. 
2.1. 
Independence, Loyalty and Impartiality in our daily work 
First and foremost, the work of DG Home Affairs and DG Justice staff should be 
guided by the general obligations of loyalty, independence and impartiality, as laid 
down in Article 11 (1) of the Staff Regulations. According to that provision, 
members of staff are required to act solely with the interests of the Communities 
in mind, to carry out duties objectively, impartially and in keeping with the duty of 
loyalty not to seek or take instructions from outside their institutions. 
These three duties largely coincide. They mean that staff must act in an 
independent and objective manner at all times. Conclusions or decisions should be 
balanced and based on a thorough analysis of the relevant rules and underlying 
facts. 
  Example: A situation in which impartiality and independence might be cast into 
doubt is where, e.g. a colleague is unduly influenced by an outside interested 
  party during a call for proposals procedure. 
 
2.2. 
Duty to represent the views of the Commission 
If a view adopted at the Commission level differs from an official's personal view or 
even from the position of DG Home Affairs or DG Justice, the duty of loyalty 
requires the DGs' staff to represent the Commission's view to the best of their 
ability and to clearly confine themselves to the Commission's position, especially in 
matters falling within the remit of their responsibilities/files. In other words, once 
the Commission has decided to follow a line everybody must do their best to 
defend it, even if personally they do not agree. 
2.3. 
Duty of dignity - professional and private behaviour 
Article 12  of the Staff Regulations requires staff from DG Home Affairs and DG 
Justice to refrain from any behaviour that might reflect adversely upon their 
position. This duty targets the professional and private behaviour of the entire staff 
of DG Home Affairs and DG Justice and is broadly defined to cover any acts that are 
"sufficiently serious, when judged by general standards of probity, as to reflect 
badly on the European Public service and/or which bring it into disrepute
". 
2.4. 
Respect of colleagues and circumspection 
DG Home Affairs and DG Justice staff is expected to address colleagues and 
superiors in the two respective DGs, as well as colleagues in other DGs/institutions, 
with respect and consideration. Even in case of conflict, e.g., with another DG, it is 
7
 

important to remain polite and to uphold the common objective of seeking a 
constructive solution to the problem. 
2.5. 
Using Commission resources 
In using Commission resources, such as computer equipment, e-mail and internet 
access, telephones, mobile phones and fax equipment or the photocopying 
machine, DG Home Affairs and DG Justice staff should bear in mind three basic 
principles: First of all, working hours are to be used for work. Secondly, staff must 
ensure the proper and efficient use of the resources so as to protect the financial 
interests of the European Union. Thirdly, using Commission resources for non-
professional purposes can adversely affect the reputation of the Commission. 
  Example: This can be illustrated with the use of communication tools. 
  Computer equipment, e-mail and internet access, telephones, mobile phones 
and fax equipment have been installed by the Commission for official use. 
  However, this equipment may be used for private purposes as long as it is on 
a purely occasional basis and does not amount to extensive use of the 
  equipment for private purposes. Further guidelines on what constitutes 
acceptable use of the Commission's ICT Services have been laid down in 
  Administrative Notice 45-2006. 
Specifically regarding the internet, the infrastructure that the Commission has to 
establish in order to provide staff with access to the internet is costly. The more 
the internet is used the more infrastructure and manpower is needed. 
  Example: using the Commission internet, e.g., to follow a bidding process on 
e-bay, is not only a problem of cost. It will also detract attention from work. 
  Finally, the reputation of Commission staff is adversely affected if certain 
providers trace the Commission as the user. 
 
2.6. 
Private life 
DG Home Affairs and DG Justice would obviously not interfere with the private life 
of its staff and its freedom of opinion13. Nevertheless, staff should in all contexts, 
including their private life, be respectful and circumspect. In addition, the duty of 
dignity requires staff to be particularly vigilant to the respect of national law (in 
particular criminal law) in all circumstances. 
3.  CONFLICT OF INTEREST 
Dealing appropriately with situations in which there might be a conflict of interest is of 
the utmost importance in order to ensure the necessary impartiality and safeguard the 
reputation and credibility of the Commission. Article 11a (1)  of the Staff Regulations 
establishes an obligation for all staff to identify and inform the Appointing Authority of 
any situation of conflict of interest that may arise in the performance of duties.  
                                                 
13 See Art 17a(1) of the Staff Regulations 
8
 

 
Article 11a § 1 reads:  “An official shall not, in the performance of his 
 
duties and save as hereinafter provided, deal with a matter in which, 
 
directly or indirectly, he has any personal interest such as to impair his 
independence, and, in particular, family and financial interests.” 

 
The decision as to whether a personal interest is of such magnitude as to impair the 
official’s independence and therefore has to be notified, does not rest solely with the 
staff member. Besides real and potential conflicts of interest, apparent  conflicts of 
interest are also covered
. An apparent conflict of interest may be defined as a situation 
in which there is a personal interest which might reasonably be thought by others to 
influence the public official’s duties, even if, in reality, there is no undue influence14. 
Such situations must be avoided because of the potential for casting doubt on the 
official’s impartiality and integrity and the potential reputational damage for the 
institution. 
Direct or indirect interest may include: 
- Family or partnership ties, personal friendships 
- Holding of financial interests (see section 3.3 below) 
- Insider dealing 
- Political affinities and national influences 
- Gifts, favours and donations 
3.1. 
The Declaration rule as a way of coping with possible conflicts of interest. 
Pursuant to the obligation established by Article 11a of the Staff Regulations, staff 
must inform the Appointing Authority15 whenever they deal with matters in which 
they have any personal interest as defined above. Whenever there is a risk that 
their independence might be impaired, staff members must complete the relevant 
declaration form (see Quick Guide in annexes) and send it to the Appointing 
Authority.  This  form  must  be  signed  by the immediate superior and the Director 
General, who are required to give their opinion on whether the personal interest 
of the staff member involved could impair his/her independence. 
It is also advisable that staff members take the initiative of informing their 
hierarchy immediately of any potential issue. This early notification will enable the 
latter to take proportionate measures capable of suppressing/removing the 
conflict. If, for personal reasons staff members wish to obtain the advice of 
someone not directly involved, the Ethics Correspondent may be contacted. 
DG Home Affairs and DG Justice request that staff members complete an 'in 
house' declaration form which sets out obligations regarding personal interests 
(in particular family or financial)
. This measure aims at increasing awareness 
                                                 
14 See case T-21/01 Zavvos v Commission [2002]ECR p. II-483 
15 In this case the Director General for Personnel and Administration 
9
 

among staff. The form should be filled in when joining DG Home Affairs, DG Justice 
or any of the shared services attached to these DGs. 
3.2. 
Family or partnership ties, personal relationships 
In accordance with Article 11a(1) and (2) of the Staff Regulations, officials should 
inform the Appointing Authority about family or other ties that might imply a 
conflict of interest, see point 3.1 above. 
Example:  If you negotiate a bilateral agreement or are in a position to 
influence the decision-making process through the procedures within DG 
Home Affairs or DG Justice, and a member of your family happens to work in a 
company involved in the case, this fact should be made known immediately. 

 
Since a spouse’s professional activities may also create a conflict of interest
Article 13 of the Staff Regulations states, inter alia, that "should the nature of the 
employment prove to be incompatible with that of the official and if the official is 
unable to give an undertaking that it will cease within a specified period, the 
appointing authority shall, after consulting the Joint Committee, decide whether 
the official shall continue in his post or be transferred to another post
". 
Therefore,  if a staff member's husband/wife/partner is in gainful employment 
s/he must inform his/her Appointing Authority16
 by filling out the appropriate 
form which contains, inter alia a description of their duties and the interests at 
stake, a detailed description of their husband/wife/partner’s work and information 
on his/her employer. This form has to be signed by his/her superior and the 
Director General, who are required to give their opinion on whether the 
professional position of their partner could impair their independence. 
This declaration is without prejudice to the official's obligation to also identify and 
declare any specific situation of conflict of interests as foreseen in Article 11a. This 
obligation also applies to non-married couples who meet the criteria provided in 
Article 1(2)(c) of Annex VII of the Staff Regulations (couples entitled to household 
allowance), as such partnerships are treated as marriage pursuant to the second 
subparagraph of Article 1d(1) of the Staff Regulations. The Appointing Authority 
should also be informed of any changes in the spouse's employment situation if 
appropriate. This obligation applies whatever the nature, the duration or the 
importance of the gainful employment of the spouse/partner. 
                                                 
16 The appropriate form can be found under: 
http://myintracomm.ec.europa.eu/hr_admin/en/ethics/obligations/conflicts_interest/Documents/form_13
_act_spouse_en.doc 

The Appointing Authority is the Director-General of Personnel and Administration if you come under a 
category other than “Administrators and Assistants and equivalent work” and the Director of ADMIN.B 
if you come under that category. 
10
 

3.3. 
Holding of financial interests 
A possible cause of conflict of interest is the holding of financial interests. Article 
11a (1) of the Staff Regulations forbids staff 
from dealing with any matter in which 
they have a financial interest. 
  Example: A conflict of interest would arise if an official were to handle a case or 
otherwise take part in the decision-making process (including through 
  consultation) involving a company in which they hold securities or otherwise 
have a financial interest, such as to impair his/her independence. 
 
As regards the acquisition of financial assets from companies that a staff member 
deals with at work, Article 11a(3) of the Staff Regulations states that: “He  [the 
official] may neither keep nor acquire, directly or indirectly, in undertakings which 
are subject to the authority of the institution to which he belongs or which have 
dealings with that institution, any interest of such kind or magnitude as might 
impair his independence in the performance of his duties
.” 
3.4. 
Political affinities and activities and national influences 
Although it is evident and covered by the Staff Regulations that staff should have 
an impartial and independent position in the execution of duties, they may at 
times find themselves under pressure from political groups or a national 
government. It is their duty to inform the hierarchy about such situations and to 
take the necessary measures to prevent their independence from being 
threatened or compromised. 
Staff members who wish to stand for public office or have been elected or 
appointed to public office, must notify their Appointing Authority without delay 
(Article 15 of the Staff Regulations) by filling a specific form. 
3.5. 
Gifts, favours and donations 
Article 11 (2) of the Staff Regulations requires Commission staff not to accept gifts, 
favours or donations from any source outside the institution without obtaining 
prior permission from the Director General (who acts as Appointing Authority). 
A Quick Guide on gifts and hospitality can be found on the intranet. As a general 
rule
, it is recommended that staff decline all gifts that have more than merely 
symbolic value (such as diaries, calendars, small desk items, etc), or go beyond the 
customary diplomatic hospitality. 
If a staff member is offered any gifts, favours or donations with a combined value 
of more than €50 
in any given year, and the staff member wishes to accept them, 
he/she must request permission to accept them, by using the appropriate form 
available on the intranet. 
Gifts in kind such as trips, excursions, social events are to be approved by the 
Appointing Authority (Director General of DG Home Affairs or DG Justice) in 
11
 

advance, and will only be authorised if the interest of the Commission can be 
clearly demonstrated. 
In deciding on whether to authorise a gift, the Director General will consider the 
motive behind offering the gift, favour or donation, the possible consequences for 
the Commission's interests, the number of gifts, favours or hospitality received 
from the same source together with the total number that the staff member has 
received during the course of a year. The Director General may authorise a staff 
member to accept the gift, favour or donation if its value is less than or equal to € 
250. 
More expensive gifts may be retained as Commission property, or donated by 
the Commission to charity. 
Before accepting invitations for lunch, dinner or other events, DG Home Affairs 
and DG Justice officials must carefully consider the context of the invitation, the 
interest of the Institution and the potential risks that accepting such an invitation 
might create, including in terms of appearances. They must inform the hierarchy in 
any case. 
Staff members should request authorisation to accept hospitality that is offered by 
people with whom they have professional contacts, if they exceed a cumulative 
value of €50 in one year. If it is not possible to consult the hierarchy in advance 
they should politely decline the invitation. This rule does not apply, of course, to 
meals or favours offered by the organizers of events that staff members have been 
instructed to attend as part of their work. Mission orders and/or expense claims 
must of course include details of any hospitality offered so that appropriate 
deductions may be made from allowances. 
DG Home Affairs and DG Justice officials must always behave with complete 
transparency vis-à-vis their hierarchy in such matters and should avoid any 
embarrassing situations where accepting an invitation could be perceived by a 
reasonable person as impairing their independence or impartiality, and where 
consequently a reputational risk could arise. 
  Example: Invitations from a foreign mission to the celebration of a national 
  day or occasional working lunches with an external company would in most 
cases probably be authorised. Expensive restaurants or invitations to 
  inappropriate luxurious or glamorous events should be politely refused as a 
rule, unless an overriding interest of the service requires the participation and 
  the staff member has obtained the permission from his/her hierarchy in 
advance. 
 
Typical cases in which accepting hospitality may be in the interest of the service 
(and which may overlap in whole or in part) are: 
12
 

 
 
Situation 1: Missions outside Brussels. 
 
Example:  During a mission you are giving a presentation at a conference, or you visit a 
company concerned by one of your cases and you are offered a meal or other facilities (for 

 
instance local transport) by the organisers of the event or by the authorities of the country 
you are visiting.  

 
What to do? No separate authorisation is required where the hospitality and/or facilities 
 
offered allow speedier or easier accomplishment of the tasks assigned during the mission 
and/or are part of customary diplomatic behaviour and do not go beyond what is necessary 

 
and reasonable. 
 
Transparency should of course always be ensured, i.e. hierarchy should be informed ex ante 
or (if not possible) at least ex post in writing. Obviously the general rules on mission orders 

 
and/or expense claims including details of any hospitality offered, so that appropriate 
deductions may be made from allowances, still apply here. 

 
 
Situation 2: I am invited to an event to represent the Commission. 
 
Example: Hospitality may also be an issue when you participate in an event as part of your 
work representing the Commission without a formal mission order (e.g. in Brussels). 

 
What to do? Your hierarchy should always be informed in advance about such events and 
 
authorise your participation. Where hospitality provided goes beyond common practice you 
should inform your hierarchy in advance and obtain an authorisation. 

 
Situation 3: Contacts with representatives of Member States or of third countries over 
 
meals
 
Example:  Contacts taking place in Brussels or abroad, in the context of customary 
diplomatic activity. 

 
What do to? If a staff member is for example invited to attend a working lunch hosted by 
 
another mission, the following day s/he should whenever possible inform the hierarchy in 
advance and obtain an authorisation to attend it by e-mail. If it is impossible to obtain an 

 
advance authorisation, for example, because a staff member is being invited spontaneously 
in the context of an important negotiation session to continue the discussion over 

 
lunch/dinner, please follow the following instructions as overall guidance: 
 
- please consider the nature of the hospitality and its frequency. Sound judgement must 
guide a staff member in determining whether there is a risk to his/her impartiality and/or 

 
the reputation of the Commission. 
-   
a working lunch / dinner that immediately follows upon a work-related meeting would 
probably be acceptable, if the lunch/dinner does not take place in a restaurant beyond the 
 
normal standard for officials. 
- lunch with a regular counterpart every so often would be more acceptable than a weekly 
occurrence. 

- if a staff member has some doubt, s/he should politely decline the invitation or suggest 
that s/he pays for himself/herself. 

13
 
- the staff member should inform his/her hierarchy directly after the lunch in writing and 
declare the invitation together with its estimated value in writing. 


DG HR is currently in the process of preparing a Commission decision with the aim of 
clarifying the rules on gifts and the guidance provided here will have to be reviewed 
once the decision has been adopted. 
The question for staff in all such situations should be whether accepting the gift 
could compromise their autonomy, present a relational risk for the Commission, 
independently of its value. If in doubt staff should discuss it with the hierarchy or 
directly with the Ethics Correspondent(s) in the Shared Resource Directorate (unit 
02) of DG Home Affairs and DG Justice. If this is not possible it is strongly 
recommended that staff decline diplomatically
4.  SPECIFIC GUIDANCE CONCERNING MISSIONS 
Activities such as giving speeches, giving presentations or participating in conferences, 
when carried out in the framework of daily work and/or a mission, are NOT external 
activities in the sense of Article 12b of the Staff Regulations. 
It should be stressed that the authorising officer must assess the appropriateness of a 
mission with regard to the interest of the service.  
At times, it may be unclear whether an invitation to give a speech or to make a 
presentation outside the Commission should be considered a mission or not. 
Disseminating information about the Commission’s  work  in  the  area  of  Home  Affairs 
and Justice policy is an important aspect of the DGs' mission. However, the number of 
invitations addressed to a single unit or person may be excessive, or the target audience 
too small or not important enough for the event to be worth sending an official on 
mission. 
Staff should therefore consult with their hierarchy on whether to accept an invitation or 
not. Several factors will be taken into consideration, mainly: the purpose of the event 
and the nature of the body organising it; the interest of the Directorate General and/or 
the Commission in participating; and the priority the event has in relation to other 
responsibilities and the unit’s or a person's workload. 
If a member of staff wishes to accept an invitation to participate in a certain event even 
though the Head of Unit has decided that it should not be considered a mission or part 
of the normal work, the member of staff may request annual leave. Being on leave, 
however, does not remove the obligation to request authorisation to engage in an 
outside activity. Whether on mission or not, the obligations established in Articles 11, 
12, 17 and 17a of the Staff Regulations should be remembered in this context. 

When going on mission, there is no requirement to ask for an additional authorisation 
to engage in the foreseen activities which might for example include delivering a 
speech. Nevertheless, if the text of such speech or presentation made during a mission 
is to be published, staff members are obliged to inform the Appointing Authority of DG 
Home Affairs or DG Justice, as relevant. 
Article 4 of the Commission Decision C(2004) 1597/10 of 28 April 2004 on outside 
activities and assignments (hereinafter referred to as “the Commission Decision”)
 
14
 

specifically forbids all staff from accepting any payment offered in exchange for work 
done in the framework of a mission. 
The question of whether reimbursement or direct payment of mission costs by the 
inviting body can be accepted requires careful examination by the hierarchy, in order to 
avoid any potential conflict of interest or reputational damage. Should mission costs be 
reimbursed by the inviting body, such reimbursement must be declared and deducted 
from mission costs. 
If leisure activities are included in the official schedule of the event, they should never 
exceed the average common practice. 
5.  EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES AND REMUNERATIONS 
Apart from the Staff Regulations, rules governing external activities and remuneration 
are laid down in the Commission Decision, and are applicable to officials, temporary and 
contract agents and SNEs17 working in DG Home Affairs and DG Justice. Please refer to 
Annex V18 for the rules applying to all other personnel working at the European 
Commission.  
The basic principles should be that officials avoid engaging in external activities which 
might interfere with their performance or create a real or perceived conflict of interest. 
Prior authorisation to take on external professional activities is therefore compulsory. 
The Commission Decision defines three types of external activities: 
a) Public office: any public office, paid or unpaid, filled by election or otherwise. 
b)  Assignment: the taking on of a defined, time-limited task, for example giving a 
speech, making a presentation or writing an article. 
c)  Other outside activity: any activity, paid or unpaid, that is of an occupational 
character or otherwise goes beyond what can reasonably be considered a leisure 
activity, such as giving lectures in the framework of university courses, writing a book or 
working as a consultant. 
Other activities foreseen in the Commission Decision and for which permission should 
normally be granted are charitable work and educational activities19. 
                                                 
17 See Commission decision C(2006)/2033 of 1/06/06 laying down rules on the secondment of national experts to the 
Commission, as modified by Communication SEC(2008)121 of 30/1/2008 
18 Note from DG HR Directorate B of 30 June 2010 signed by Marie-Pierre DARCHY.  
19 Articles 5 and 6 of Commission Decision C(2004) 1597/10 of 28 April 2004 define, respectively, voluntary work 
and educational activities. Voluntary work is work not giving rise to remuneration or the like, charitable or not. 
Authorisation shall be granted as long as the work is not so onerous as to impair the official’s ability to work for the 
Commission. Educational activities such as teaching shall, in principle, be authorised for up to a year, as long as 
their duration does not exceed 100 hours per academic year. In exceptional circumstances, where the activity is 
deemed to be of interest to the institution, they may be extended to academic activities, including research. 
15
 

Each case is to be assessed on its own merits; it is unlikely that approval would be given 
for assignments or outside activities pursued in a professional or similar capacity (to 
work as a lawyer, economist, accountant, consultant, etc.), and activities carried out for 
firms and companies whose objectives are commercial, even if the relationship with 
that company entails no remuneration or purely nominal remuneration20. 
The performance of duties stemming from the tenure of public office is a special case in 
that there is no obligation to request authorisation. For officials who intend to stand for 
public office, or have been elected or appointed to public office, Article 15 of the Staff 
Regulations establishes the obligation to inform the Appointing Authority, which will 
decide whether and under what modalities the official may continue to discharge 
his/her duties. 
6.  FORMER OFFICIALS AND OFFICIALS ON LEAVE FOR PERSONAL GROUNDS (CCP) 
6.1. 
Officials on CCP 
Leave on personal grounds (CCP) is an administrative status which may be granted to 
officials at their own request (Article 40 of the Staff Regulations). Officials on CCP are 
not former staff
, as they are entitled to reintegration into Commission services. 
Thus, they are subject to the same obligations as officials in active employment, in 
particular those established in articles 11, 11a, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17 and 17a of the Staff 
Regulations. They are also subject to the relevant stipulations of Chapter 2 of the 
Commission Decision C(2004) 1597/10 of 28 April 2004. 
Professional activity is allowed during a CCP, but it must be authorised in advance. 
Requests to engage in occupational activities, paid or unpaid, made during CCP or in 
connection with a request to take CCP, shall be submitted through normal hierarchical 
channels to the Director General for Personnel (DG ADMIN). 
The general rule is that the official must supply the Appointing Authority with all the 
relevant information needed to make an informed decision regarding the possibility of 
the requested activity’s conflicting with the interests of the institution21. 
The Appointing Authority may make the permission to engage in occupational activities 
subject to any conditions which it considers necessary to ensure that officials comply 
with their obligations. In particular, it may impose conditions according to the 
particular circumstances of a case, taking into account the nature of each policy area. 
 
 
                                                 
20 Commission Decision C(2004) 1597/10 of 28 April 2004, articles 7 and 8, and Administrative notice n° 85-2004 of 
29 June 2004. 
21  For details, see articles 14 to 17 of the Commission Decision C(2004) 1597/10 of 28 April 2004 for the rules 
applicable to officials on CCP 
16
 

 
Example: This may be the case when an official requests CCP to take a job in the 
private sector working in the field of Home Affairs and Justice policies (e.g. law firms 

 
or consultancy), and may include restrictions concerning work not only on particular 
files, but also specific companies or enterprises. In certain cases, the exercise of the 

 
activity concerned during the CCP can even be refused. 
 
While there may be considerable benefits for officials of DG Home Affairs and DG 
Justice to gain professional experience outside the Commission by taking CCP, staff 
should be especially mindful of their obligations vis-à-vis  the institution, and in 
particular as regards avoiding any situation in which a conflict of interest might emerge. 
Such a conflict may arise not only during CCP but also when staff enters into 
negotiations in respect of any professional activity they plan to undertake while on 
CCP
: it is therefore strongly recommended to discuss any negotiations in which a staff 
member might engage in this period with their hierarchy or the Ethics Correspondent(s) 
of the DGs in order to avoid any conflict of interest before or during CCP. 
It is important to note that where a staff member's circumstances could give rise to any 
real or apparent conflict of interest, either at the negotiation stage or following 
submission of a formal request for CCP, the DG reserves the right to adapt, if necessary, 
internal instructions concerning the execution of the official's day to day duties during 
the period preceding departure. 
 
Examples  of such measures may include restriction of access to information, 
modification of file or sector assignment or even transfer to another post within the 

 
DG if the nature of your proposed activity is considered incompatible with your current 
position. Each case will be assessed on its own merits and in full compliance with the 

 
principle of proportionality. 
 
According to Article 16(3) of the Commission Decision on external activities, the official 
may not participate in meetings or have contacts of a professional nature with his or her 
former Directorate General or service for a period of: 
-- 1 year where the official occupied a management function in this Directorate General 
or service; 
-- 6 months in all other cases. 
Finally, it is also worth remembering that an official under CCP or seconded in the 
interest of service22 remains bound by his/her statutory duties of integrity and 
discretion. He/she shall in particular refrain from any unauthorised disclosure of 
information received in the line of duty, unless that information has already been made 
public or is accessible to the public. 
                                                 
22 e.g. to work for their national government during an EU-presidency 
17
 

6.2. 
Former officials23 
Former officials are all those who have definitively left the service (Article 47 of the Staff 
Regulations), e.g. following resignation, retirement, dismissal or removal from the post, 
and those who have been retired in the interests of the service pursuant Article 50 of 
the Staff Regulations. 
Article 16(1) of the Staff Regulations state that former officials: “continue to be bound 
by the duty to behave with integrity and discretion as regards the acceptance of certain 
appointments
”.  Article 16(2)  further establishes the obligation for any former official 
intending to engage in an occupational activity, whether gainful or not, within two years 
of leaving the service, to inform his/her institution. The latter shall decide and notify the 
former official within thirty days whether the intended occupation could conflict with its 
legitimate interests24. 
Moreover, pursuant to Article 17(1) and (2)  of the Staff Regulations, former officials 
remain under the obligation to refrain from any unauthorised disclosure of information 
received in the line of duty, unless that information has already been made public or is 
accessible to the public. 
Such obligations obviously also apply to former officials who held management posts in 
DG Home Affairs or DG Justice. 
In view of DG Home Affairs and DG Justice policy areas, the situation of former staff 
members who left either DG and continue their career as lawyers or consultants is of 
special interest. 
a) Two-year period of leaving the service 
If a former official decides to engage in a professional activity, within two years of 
leaving the service she/he must ask for prior authorisation to do so from the 
Appointing Authority (DG HR). 
Under  Article 16(2)  of the Staff Regulations, if the proposed activity is related to 
work carried out by the official during the last three years of service and could lead 
to a conflict of interest, the Appointing Authority may either forbid the former 
official from undertaking the proposed activity or may impose specific conditions in 
the light of the particular circumstances of the case. Such conditions could e.g. 
                                                 
23 This should also apply to former SNEs who have not joined back the public administration and former contractual 
agents (see Articles 11, 54 and 91 of the Conditions of Employment of other Servants of the European 
Communities). 
24 Article 16 of the Staff Regulations states:“(I)f the activity is related to the work carried out by the official during 
the last three years of service and could lead to a conflict with the legitimate interests of the institution, the 
Appointing Authority may, having regard to the interests of the service, either forbid him 
(the official) from 
undertaking it or give its approval subject to any conditions it thinks fit.” 
See also articles 18 to 20 of Commission 
Decision C(2004) 1597/10 of 28 April 2004. 

 
18
 

concern – depending on the grade of the former official and the nature of the 
former responsibilities - specific cases or specific files. 
Such a conflict of interest may emerge even before leaving the Commission, since 
an official might enter into negotiations and even, under certain circumstances, 
when an official has the intention of entering into such negotiations with a 
potential future employer. This situation may require the adoption of internal 
instructions as regards the official's daily work in DG Home Affairs or DG Justice. 
After leaving the service, an official continues to be bound by the duty to behave 
with integrity and discretion as regards the acceptance of certain appointments or 
benefits (Article 16(1)) and to refrain from any unauthorised disclosure of 
information received in the line of duty, unless that information has already been 
made public or is accessible to the public (Article 17). 
In any case, during the two year period, former officials of DG Home Affairs and DG 
Justice should not handle files of which they had knowledge in the course of, or in 
connection with, the performance of their duties at the DG. 
b) After the two-year period of leaving the service 
Once the two-year period has expired, the former officials are no longer under an 
obligation to ask for a prior authorisation to engage in an occupational activity in 
accordance with Article 16(2) of the Staff Regulations. 
Nevertheless, it should be remembered that former officials continue to be bound 
by the ongoing duty to behave with integrity and discretion as regards the 
acceptance of certain appointments and to refrain from any unauthorised 
disclosure of non accessible information received in the line of duty (Article 16(1) 
and 17 
of the Staff Regulations). 
Consequently, should they infringe the obligations above mentioned, in the 
performance of their new duties, be it five or ten years after leaving the service, 
they may be sanctioned for such failures. 
In this context, former officials should be particularly aware of their duty to behave 
with integrity and discretion as concerns files of which they had knowledge in the 
course of, or in connection, with the performance of their duties at DG Home 
Affairs or DG Justice. 
c) Distance rule 
Since a person assisting a party in a meeting, a hearing or an inspection could 
influence its outcome by virtue of their previous responsibilities within the DG, the 
approval of the occupational activity within two years of leaving the service may, 
on a case by case basis, be subject to conditions on distance. These may include 
the condition that the former official does not participate in meetings or have 
contacts of a professional nature with their former Directorate or service for a 
certain period. 
19
 

In addition and to the extent possible, DG Home Affairs and DG Justice request 
their current staff to inform the superiors immediately of any potential 
participation in a meeting with former members of management (unless it is 
obvious that the person concerned left the DG such a long time ago that there is no 
longer any risk25). This will allow the hierarchy to assess whether a risk exists that 
the staff member might find themselves in a sensitive situation requiring the 
adoption of appropriate and proportionate measures as regards the organisation 
of the meeting. 
DG Home Affairs and DG Justice note that similar rules on professional knowledge 
(see point 7 below) and distance apply to staff returning to either DG after having 
gone on CCP. In this case, a staff member may feel impeded from dealing with a 
particular file in DG Home Affairs or DG Justice because of the duty not to use 
knowledge gained in a previous position. Members of staff who find themselves in 
such a situation should approach their (immediate) superior and request to be 
assigned to a different file. 
7.  PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE, EXPRESSIONS OF VIEWS OUTSIDE THE COMMISSION AND CONTACTS 
WITH THIRD PARTIES 
7.1. 
General principles: professional secrecy and loyalty vs. freedom of 
expression 

Article 17a(2)  of the Staff Regulations creates an obligation for officials to inform 
the Appointing Authority of their intention to publish or have published any matter 
dealing with the work of the Communities. Before publishing any matter dealing 
with the work of the Communities, staff members are obliged to inform the 
Appointing Authority (see section 3.4 above on external activities). The mere fact of 
issuing a publication concerned with the work of the Communities, without first 
notifying the Appointing Authority, constitutes an infringement of Article 17a of the 
Staff Regulations. 
Also,  in  that  context,  an  official  on  CCP  does not lose his/her status as an official 
during the period of leave and therefore remains subject to the obligations 
incumbent upon every official. 
In addition, Article 17 of the Staff Regulations establishes the obligation for officials 
to refrain from “any unauthorised disclosure of information received in the line of 
duty
, unless that information has already been made public or is accessible to the 
public.” 
In view of the serious consequences that a breach of Article 17 could carry for the 
Commission’s reputation, cases of unauthorised disclosure of information not yet 
made public concerning any aspect of the work of DG Home Affairs or DG Justice, 
                                                 
25 Apart from the application of the distance rule stricto sensu, it has to be kept in mind that former officials should 
not, at any time, be involved in cases of which they had knowledge in the course of, or in connection, with the 
performance of their duties at DG Home Affairs or DG Justice (see section a) "the two-year period of leaving the 
service", last paragraph below). 
20
 

whether intentional or not, will be investigated and may, ultimately, lead to 
disciplinary action and/or financial claims for serious neglect, in application of the 
relevant procedures

On the other hand, officials enjoy a right to freedom of expression as enshrined in 
Article 17a  of the Staff Regulations: “an official has the right to freedom of 
expression, with due respect to the principles of loyalty and impartiality
”. 
This right, however, should be understood together with the obligations laid down 
in  Articles 11 and 12  of the Staff Regulations. These establish, respectively, that 
staff members have a “duty of loyalty to the Communities” and must also refrain 
from “any action or behaviour that might reflect adversely upon (their) position”. 
In other words, an official may publicly express his/her personal opinions, while 
avoiding demeaning or offensive statements that impugn the honour of the 
persons or institutions against whom they were made. 
The obligation of loyalty nevertheless imposes circumspection: officials should 
avoid creating confusion when making public statements, they should avoid 
discussing cases or matters which are still pending a formal position, and they 
should also defend the Commission's position whenever the final view adopted by 
the Commission in a file falling within his/her remit differs from his/her personal 
view. 
When expressing views in public, especially if they are critical of the Commission's 
official view, members of staff should make it absolutely clear that these are 
personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commission 
and/or DG Home Affairs or DG Justice. 
Whether in public or in private, staff should not disclose any information they have 
come across in the performance of their duties unless they have received 
authorisation to do so and/or are sure that such information is already publicly 
available. Staff should of course also refrain from disclosing, whether intentionally 
or not, any confidential information received in the line of duty, whether it 
concerns business secrets of a company or details of the internal decision-making 
processes of the Commission. Staff should refer to the special DG Home Affairs and 
DG Justice rules on the treatment of sensitive information  and the Commission 
rules on treatment of EU classified information26

As already mentioned, under exceptional circumstances (presumption of the 
existence of illegal activity, including fraud or corruption, detrimental to the 
interests of the Communities or serious failure to comply with the obligations of 
officials), staff is permitted, pursuant to Article 22b of the Staff Regulations, to raise 
concerns with external bodies without fear of adverse consequences. This provision 
on whistle-blowing must be understood as an exception to the general principle of 
professional discretion that all staff must respect. Articles 22a and 22b of the Staff 
Regulations establish the ways of dealing with cases of suspected irregularities. 
                                                 
26 http://www.cc.cec/security/help_advice/information_en.htm  
21
 

7.2. 
Contacts with third parties 
As part of their day-to-day work, officials of DG Home Affairs and DG Justice are in 
permanent contact with third parties (Member States, third country 
representatives, business, NGOs, media, etc.). These contacts are often necessary 
and welcome but they require professionalism and discretion and are subject to 
special rules. 
As a general rule, staff should always inform the hierarchy prior to attending such 
meetings. And should also let the hierarchy know of the results of such meetings 
subsequently. 
Meetings with private parties (e.g. business, NGO) should normally take place in the 
Commission buildings and ideally involve another colleague from the Commission. 
In the case of contacts with interest groups, staff should always consult DG HR's 
Register27 as a source of reference and be cautious with groups not registered. 
Nevertheless, it should be stressed that there is no ban on meetings with 
unregistered interest representatives. 
As a general rule, DG Home Affairs and DG Justice staff should refuse any 
invitations to meetings from interest representatives or third parties which could 
put the institution in a delicate situation. 
8.  REPORTING IMPROPRIETIES AND DEALING WITH ALLEGATIONS OF WRONGDOING 
Pursuant  Article 22a  of the Staff Regulations, staff members are obliged to report to 
their superior or the Director General, or if considered useful the Secretary General or 
OLAF, any information received in connection with the performance of duties which 
gives rise to the assumption of possible illegal activities detrimental to the interests of 
the Communities
, or of conduct relating to the discharge of professional duties which 
may constitute a serious failure to comply with the obligations incumbent on officials of 
the Communities. Article 22b  of the Staff Regulations establishes the ways of dealing 
with cases of suspected irregularities. 
Any official who, in the course of or in connection with the performance of his/her 
duties, becomes aware of any information, whatever its source, having a bearing on any 
of the staff of DG Home Affairs or DG Justice, which may be detrimental to the interests 
of the Communities, shall without delay inform his/her immediate superior, the 
Director General, the local Ethics Correspondent or the Secretary-General of the 
Commission, or the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). Before reporting, the official 
should assess if there is a serious allegation or serious reasons to believe that there is an 
allegation of wrongdoing. 
 
Example: This rule covers various possible situations, not only financial irregularities, for 
 
example the alleged leaking by an official of sensitive information. or a request made by any 
national (Member State or other) judicial or investigative body, or any information made 

                                                 
public in the press or otherwise, or any information encountered internally, to the extent that 
27 it could have a direct bearing on staff of the DG by hinting at alleged improprieties). 
http://ec.europa.eu/civil_society/index_en.htm  
22
 

The effective application of the whistle blowing rules and the protection of 
whistleblowers28 are set out in a specific Communication SEC(2004) 151/2. 
9.  PREVENTION OF SEXUAL AND MORAL HARASSMENT 
All staff, statutory or non-statutory, working within the Commission must refrain from 
all forms of psychological and sexual harassment. They must also be ensured of the 
respect of their personal dignity, the dignity of their position and if need be take the 
necessary measures available. 
Staff should respect at all times the Decision of the Commission relating to the policy 
concerning the protection of the dignity of the person and the fight against 
psychological and sexual harassment at the European Commission29, and avoid a 
behaviour which is felt to be inappropriate or embarrassing for another person. 
Staff feeling harassed can choose to follow the informal or the formal procedure. The 
informal procedure looks for an amicable solution via the confidential counsellors or 
through the mediation service. The formal procedure is triggered by submitting a 
request for assistance, under Article 24 and 90§1 of the Staff Regulation, to unit HR.B2, 
which is responsible for initiating the procedure. The Appointing Authority can then 
instruct the IDOC, if necessary, to carry out an administrative enquiry to determine the 
facts of the case and apportion any responsibility. In the case of sexual harassment, it is 
up to the victim to provide all useful details which might support his/her allegations. In 
the case of psychological harassment, a degree of evidence is required. 
                                                 
28 http://myintracomm.ec.europa.eu/hr_admin/en/idoc/Pages/whistleblowing.aspx  
29  Commission Decision C(2006)1624/3 (fr - en - de ) of 26th April 2006 http://myintracomm-
staging.net1.cec.eu.int/hr_admin/en/equal_opportunities/respectful_working/Documents/comm_native
_c_2006_1624_3_en_acte.pdf  

23
 

10.  ANNEXES  
ANNEX I 
 
DG HOME AFFAIRS and DG JUSTICE 
Quick Guide on reporting of incidents 
 
 
Background 
In order to enable the Commission to meet its obligations of good administrative behaviour and 
in particular in the dealings that the Commission has with the public, the Commission 
undertakes to observe the standards concerned set out in the Code of Good Administrative 
Behaviour for Staff of the European Commission in their Relations with the Public . 
As stipulated in Article 22a of the Staff Regulations, staff are obliged to report to their superior 
or the Director General, or if considered useful the Secretary General or OLAF, any information 
which may be detrimental to the interests of the Communities. 
The effective application of the whistle blowing rules and the protection of whistleblowers are 
set out in a specific Communication SEC(2004)151/2. 
Guidance 
The main aim of this guide is to help you how to report a violation against the ethical standards 
and the Code of Good Administrative Behaviour of the Commission, and to reassure you that 
there are no repercussions and negative effect for the informant/whistleblower. 
The regulation establishing the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) imposes a duty on any official 
or other employee of the Commission "who becomes aware of evidence which gives rise to a 
presumption of the existence of possible cases of fraud, corruption or any other illegal activity 
detrimental to the interests of the Community or other serious professional misconduct" to 
inform his or her Director General immediately (or if they consider it useful, the Secretary 
General of the Commission of OLAF directly.) 
The official’s duty is simply to raise the concern without delay: the Head of Unit, Director, 
Director-General or Secretary-General are in turn required to report the matter to OLAF without 
delay (although they may take other measures to redress any shortcomings or prevent the risk 
of similar wrongdoing in future). Once the Director-General is informed of a particular 
wrongdoing, he must also ensure that the Commissioner is made aware of this if the matter is 
considered sufficiently important to be reported to OLAF. The assistants of the Director-General 
are responsible for ensuring that any relevant information is made available to the 
Commissioner in a timely and appropriate manner. 
OLAF’s remit is to investigate if they consider the evidence sufficient. The interests of anyone 
implicated in such an investigation are protected in two ways: OLAF must inform them as rapidly 
24
 

as can be done without harming the investigation and no conclusions can be reached until the 
person concerned has had a chance to express his or her views. Those who report such 
wrongdoing – so-called "whistleblowers" - are also protected: staff can be assured that no 
action will be taken against them even if their suspicions prove to be unfounded, provided that 
they acted in good faith. 
In practice 
If you have evidence of fraud, corruption or other serious wrongdoing (theft for example), you 
have to report this incident.  
You may inform:  
• 
The Director-General, or if you prefer your Head of Unit or Director or  
• 
The Secretary-General or  
• 
OLAF directly.  
You do not need to prove that the presumption of wrongdoing is true but you should reasonably 
believe it to be the case.  
The duty to report does not extend to other cases of wrongdoing or impropriety, such as 
bullying or sexual harassment, but you are strongly encouraged to come forward with these 
concerns. In many cases, the most obvious person to talk to, will be your line manager. 
However, should you for whatever reason feel uncomfortable about talking to your direct 
superior, you are invited to contact either the Director General or to the Director "General 
Affairs". It goes without saying that all information will be treated in the strictest confidence. 
Additional information 
http://myintracomm.ec.europa.eu/hr_admin/en/ethics/Pages/index.aspx  
 
         Update: 
29 
January 
2009 
 
25
 

 ANNEX II 
 
 
DG HOME AFFAIRS and DG JUSTICE 
Quick Guide on external activities and remunerations 
 
 
Background 
Apart from the Staff Regulations, rules governing external activities and remuneration are laid 
down in Commission Decision C(2004) 1597/10 of 28 April 2004 on outside activities and 
assignments (hereinafter referred to as “the Commission Decision”), and are applicable to 
officials, temporary and auxiliary agents and seconded national experts (SNEs) working in DG 
Home Affairs and DG Justice. 
The basic principles should be that officials avoid engaging in external activities which might 
interfere with their performance or create a real or perceived conflict of interest. 
Prior authorisation to take on external professional activities is therefore compulsory. 
Guidance 
The main aim of this guide is to help you how to apply for permission in advance before 
engaging in paid or unpaid outside activity. 
The Commission Decision defines three types of external activities: 
a) Public office: any public office, paid or unpaid, filled by election or otherwise. 
b)  Assignment: the taking on of a defined, time-limited task, for example giving a 
speech, making a presentation or writing an article. 
c)  Other outside activity: any activity, paid or unpaid, that is of an occupational 
character or otherwise goes beyond what can reasonably be considered a leisure 
activity, such as giving lectures in the framework of university courses, writing a book 
or working as a consultant. 
Other activities foreseen in the Commission Decision and for which permission should normally 
be granted are charitable work and educational activities. 
Each case is to be assessed on its own merits, it is unlikely that approval would be given for 
assignments or outside activities pursued in a professional or similar capacity (to work as a 
lawyer, economist, accountant, consultant, etc.), and activities carried out for firms and 
companies whose objectives are commercial, even if the relationship with that company entails 
no remuneration or purely nominal remuneration. 
26
 

The performance of duties stemming from the tenure of public office is a special case in that 
there is no obligation to request authorisation. For officials who intend to stand for public office, 
or have been elected or appointed to public office, Article 15 of the Staff Regulations establishes 
the obligation to inform the AA, which will decide whether and under what modalities the 
official may continue to discharge his/her duties. 
The maximum net annual remuneration you may receive for all work you undertake outside the 
EU institutions is €4,500. Any amounts received over and above this must be turned over to 
your institution.  
It goes without saying that no outside work may be performed either on the premises of the 
institutions or during your normal working hours. 
To make a request, you must submit your external activity request online via Sysper2 ("My 
Ethics requests section"). 
The appointing authority is the Director-General for Personnel and Administration if you are: 
Director-General, Head of Service or equivalent (DG)  
Deputy Director-General or equivalent (DDG)  
"Hors classe" adviser or equivalent (HCA)  
Director or equivalent (D)  
Chief adviser or equivalent (CA)  
 
The appointing authority is the Director-General of your DG if you are: 
Adviser or equivalent (AL)  
Head of Unit or equivalent (UH)  
Administrator or equivalent (ADM)  
Assistant or equivalent (AST)  
 
Your form must be submitted via Sysper2, together with the appropriate supporting documents 
and required approval signatures, two months before you plan to start the work in question
The online approval circuits is as follows:  
for posts DG/DDG/HCA/D/CA - unit HR/B/3 - SC 11 03/065  
for posts AL/UH/ADM/AST – Head of Unit SRD.02 (DG Home Affairs and DG Justice) 
Additional information 
http://myintracomm.ec.europa.eu/hr_admin/en/ethics/obligations/conflicts_interest/Pages/ex
ternal_activities.aspx  

 
         Update: 
30 
November 
2010 
 
 
 
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Sysper2 Ethics module for external activity requests (replaces paper forms) 
 
 
Commission européenne, B-1049 Bruxelles / Europese Commissie, B-1049 Brussel - Belgium. Telephone: (32-2) 299 11 11. 
Office: LX46 4/179. Telephone: direct line (32-2) 2951250. Fax: (32-2) 2967626. 
 


29
 

 
Annex III 
COMMISSION EUROPÉENNE 
DIRECTION GÉNÉRALE AFFAIRES INTÉRIEURES  
DIRECTION GÉNÉRALE JUSTICE 
 
  SRD.02: Ressources humaines 
 
Contact/information: 
Tél.:(32-2) 2959030, Fax: (32-2) 2951250; Email : HOME-JUST Local Security Office 
Engagement à signer par tout personnel à la DG HOME et DG JUSTICE non 
concernée par le Statut des fonctionnaires des Communautés Européennes 
Les articles 11 et 17 du Statut des fonctionnaires des Communautés européennes 
stipulent que : 
Article 11 
Le fonctionnaire doit s'acquitter de ses fonctions et régler sa conduite en ayant 
uniquement en vue les intérêts des Communautés, sans solliciter ni accepter 
d'instructions d'aucun gouvernement, autorité, organisation ou personne extérieure à 
son institution. Il remplit les fonctions qui lui sont confiées de manière objective et 
impartiale et dans le respect de son devoir de loyauté envers les Communautés. 

Le fonctionnaire ne peut accepter d'un gouvernement ni d'aucune source extérieure à 
l'institution à laquelle il appartient, sans autorisation de l'autorité investie du pouvoir de 
nomination, une distinction honorifique, une faveur, un don, une rémunération, de 
quelque nature qu'ils soient, sauf pour services rendus soit avant sa nomination, soit au 
cours d'un congé spécial pour service militaire ou national, et au titre de tels services. 

Article 17 
1.  Le fonctionnaire s'abstient de toute divulgation non autorisée d'informations portées 
à sa connaissance dans l'exercice de ses fonctions, à moins que ces informations 
n'aient déjà été rendues publiques ou ne soient accessibles au public. 

2.  Le fonctionnaire reste soumis à cette obligation après la cessation de ses fonctions. 
Vous êtes soumis aux mêmes règles qui s'appliquent mutatis mutandis. Veuillez signer le 
présent document, attestant ainsi que vous avez pros connaissance desdites propositions 
et que vous vous engagez à les respecter. 
NOM, PRENOM : 
N° PERSONNEL : 
UNITE: 
DATE & SIGNATURE 
 
Commission européenne, B-1049 Bruxelles / Europese Commissie, B-1049 Brussel - Belgium. Telephone: (32-2) 299 11 11. 
Office: LX46 4/179. Telephone: direct line (32-2) 2951250. Fax: (32-2) 2967626. 

COMMISSION EUROPÉENNE 
DIRECTION GÉNÉRALE AFFAIRES INTÉRIEURES  
DIRECTION GÉNÉRALE JUSTICE 
 
  SRD.02: Ressources humaines 
 
Contact/information: 
Tel.:(32-2) 2959030, Fax: (32-2) 2951250; E-mail : HOME-JUST Local Security Office 
UNDERTAKING TO BE SIGNED BY ALL STAFF OF DG HOME AFFAIRS AND DG JUSTICE TO 
WHOM THE STAFF REGULATIONS OF OFFICIALS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES DO NOT 
APPLY 
 
The Articles 11 and 17 of the Staff Regulations of officials of the European Communities lays 
down that: 
Article 11 
An official shall carry out his duties and conduct himself solely with the interests of the 
Communities in mind; he shall neither seek nor take instructions from any government, 
authority, organisation or person outside his institution. He shall carry out the duties 
assigned to him objectively, impartially and in keeping with his duty of loyalty to the 
Communities. 

An official shall not without the permission of the appointing authority accept from any 
government or from any other source outside the institution to which he belongs any 
honour, decoration, favour, gift or payment of any kind whatever, except for services 
rendered either before his appointment or during special leave for military or other 
national service and in respect of such service. 

Article 17 
1. An official shall refrain from any unauthorised disclosure of information received in 
the line of duty, unless that information has already been made public or is accessible to 
the public. 

2. An official shall continue to be bound by this obligation after leaving the service. 
 
You are subject to the same rules, which apply mutatis mutandis.  Please sign this form which 
confirms that you are aware of these provisions and that you undertake to abide by them. 
FAMILY NAME, FIRST NAME:  
PERSONNEL N°: 
UNIT:  
DATE & SIGNATURE: 
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ANNEX IV 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
 
Please enter an answer 
DIRECTORATE-GENERAL …………………………. 
in every section and 
 
write in block letters 
 
 
DECLARATION  
IN THE EVENT OF A POSSIBLE CONFLICT OF INTERESTS 
(Article 11a of the Staff Regulations and Articles 11, 54, 81 and 124 of the CEOS) 
 
 

APPLICANT 
SURNAME/FIRST NAME: …………………………………………. 
Personnel No: .....….. 
Administrative status: official/temporary official/contract staff/auxiliary staff30 
Grade: .......………… 
 
Building/office number: ……………………………………….    
Tel. : ………………. 
DG, Directorate, unit: ......................……………………………………………………... 
Description of duties at the Commission: ...………………………………………........…. 
……………………………………………………………………………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………... 
PLANNED ACTIVITY 
State the nature of and procedure involved in the matter on which you are called on to 
decide - or deal with - in the performance of your duties at the Commission and in the 
outcome - or handling - of which you may have a personal interest such as to impair your 
independence: .…………………………………………………………………………….. 
..………………………………………………………………………………………….… 
..……………………………………………………………………………………..……... 
..………………………………………………………………………………………….…
……………………………………………………………………………………………... 
State the reasons why your independence may be impaired: …………...................... 
……………………………………………………………………………………………... 
…..………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………... 
……………………………………………………………………………………………... 
 
 
SIGNATURE: ......................……………………………………. DATE: .............……..……. 
 
 
                                                 
30 Delete as appropriate. 
32
 

OPINION OF IMMEDIATE SUPERIOR 
Accepted/Rejected1 
If rejected, give reasons: .....………………………………………………………………. 
……………………………………………………………………...……………….….…. 
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
….….……………………………………………………………………………………… 
……………………………………………………………………………….……....……. 
 
 
SURNAME/FIRST NAME: ..........................................…………… POSITION: ..…......………. 
 
SIGNATURE: ...............................……………………… DATE: .…………………………... 
 
 
OPINION OF DIRECTOR-GENERAL 
Accepted/Rejected1 
If rejected, give reasons: .....………………………………………………………………. 
……………………………………………………………………...……………….….…. 
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
….….……………………………………………………………………………………… 
……………………………………………………………………………….……....……. 
 
 
SURNAME/FIRST NAME: ..........................................……………....................…......………. 
 
SIGNATURE: ...............................……………………… DATE: ……………...……………..
 
 
 
SEND THE COMPLETED FORM TO UNIT HR/B/3   –   SC 11 03/27 
 
DECISION OF APPOINTING AUTHORITY 
 
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………… 

 
 
SURNAME/FIRST NAME: ..........................................……..………………… ……............... 
 
SIGNATURE: ...............................………………………….….. DATE: ……………...…….
 
 
 
 
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ANNEX_V 
34
 


 
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Document Outline